


Day 234

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [234]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:34:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26056567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [234]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 234

Dural waited at the northern gate all morning before the messenger arrived. He could have waited closer to the Gallows to head off the runner before they reached the messenger, but he avoided killing children when he could. Rhagitan wanted to make sure the letter from Knight Captain Cullen to the Warden Commander of the free marches never made it to its destination. Dural didn’t know why and it wasn’t his place to ask.

The messenger came to the stables to take one of the horses. Durral sidled up to the man laughing jovial.

“Well met my friend! How are you doing on this fine day?” he asked.

The messenger, a human man of middle-age gave Dural a befuddled smile.

“What had you in such high spirits, dwarf?” he asked.

“I just got word,” Dural said. “Me old bastard of a father kicked it, he did. That man was a real mizer with his purse strings, never spent a copper he didn’t need to, and he could always think of a reason he didn’t need to. But now he’s dead and his vast hoard passes to me.”

“Well, good news for you I suppose,” said the messenger.

“Indeed it is!” Dural shouted. “I’m in the mood for a celebration but all my friends are back in Tantervale. Come,” he said, steering the messenger towards the Hanged Man, “Share a drink with a newly rich dwarf.

“I...” the messenger looked towards the gate for only a moment before agreeing. The two men sauntered inside and Dural ordered two small kegs, one would be watered down heavily and the other would be unusually strong. Dural took the watered down swill for himself and passed the good stuff to the messenger. The man might have introduced himself but Durral didn’t pay attention, easier that way.

Dural poured a pint for each of them and began to sing.

“In the boozer, you’re a loser if the dice you’re shaking. You’ll get hurt, and lose your shirt, sit there cold and quaking.” Durral took a sip and motioned for the messenger to do the same. “Lady Luck, your gifts are bad, you trick us, then you make us mad, make us gamble, make us fight, and sit out in the cold all night.” Here Durral downed his pint and refilled it from the keg, doing the same for the messenger. 

Many of the other patrons were starting to join in the song: it was a popular one.

“‘Brrr!’ The naked loser moans, when he’s cold and left alone, shakes and shivers as he groans:” There was a collective grone. The Messenger took another swig and joined in for the last verse.

“‘I wish I could be asleep under a tree. With a hot sunshine warming my bones.’ But now let’s roll the dice again and win some drinking money!” Everyone downed their mugs here and this time, when Dural refilled the messenger’s mug he sprinkled in some poisoned powder. The messenger wass too swept away in the moment to notice.

“Alright,” said the messenger, after he finished his drink. “I would love to stay here drinking all day but if I have another drink I’ll likely fall off my horse.”

Dural smiled, thanked the man for his company and watched him leave. The poison was slow working, the messenger would notice nothing so much as a drunken high, but when he went to sleep that night, he would not wake in the morning, and his letter would never reach its destination. In a few days the Carta forger would have a false reply delivered.


End file.
